GREENVILLE, Sinoe County — New video and photographic evidence obtained by FrontPage Africa has raised questions about the conduct of officials associated with the Sinoe County Labour Commissioner’s Office, amid competing accounts over the handcuffing of a Chinese national and a separate confrontation involving the County Attorney and county officials.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
The controversy comes as questions continue to surround an incident involving Sinoe County Attorney Cllr. Mmonbeydo Nadine Joah, who became involved in a dispute with Labour Commissioner Cleophas Nyantee Mah and County Superintendent Alexander Nah Slewion.
Mah, however, strongly denies allegations that he or members of his team have harassed, intimidated or extorted business operators.
He told FrontPage Africa that neither he nor members of his team have demanded unauthorized payments from investors or subjected them to harassment.
What the Footage Shows
Video obtained by FrontPage Africa appears to show a Chinese businessman seated on a green plastic chair with his hands handcuffed.
A man in plain clothes, holding what appears to be documents and a mobile phone, is seen speaking to the businessman and pointing in his direction.
The incident appears to have occurred inside a container-like office at what sources identified as a mining operation.
Mah acknowledged that the incident occurred but disputed accounts portraying him as responsible for the arrest and handcuffing of the Chinese national.
According to Mah, the incident occurred several months ago and was unrelated to the more recent confrontation involving the County Attorney and Superintendent.
He said he went to the location in his capacity as Labour Commissioner and that the Chinese national was arrested and handcuffed by members of the Liberia National Police who were investigating an incident.
Mah said his office subsequently imposed a fine on the company, but that the County Attorney later revoked the fine.
He also said the County Attorney subsequently accused him of abuse of office and took legal action against him.
Mah maintained that the matter was eventually dismissed by the Magisterial Court.
The County Attorney did not respond to FrontPage Africa’s request for comment on the matter.
Competing Accounts of the Mining-Site Incident
Darius Shajay Nagbeh Sr., Superintendent of Kpanyan Statutory District, disputed Mah’s account of what happened.
Nagbeh told FrontPage Africa that the incident occurred within his district at the Glorious Mining Company operation site following an incident involving the death of a miner.
According to Nagbeh, the County Attorney had established a team, led by him, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.
He alleged that Mah arrived at the site accompanied by a Community Police officer and participated in the arrest and handcuffing of the Chinese national.
Nagbeh also disputed the amount of the fine, saying the Labour Commissioner imposed a hefty fine on the company. Mah’s account also referenced a fine, but the parties differ over the circumstances surrounding its imposition and subsequent revocation.
Nagbeh said the County Attorney later revoked the fine and initiated legal proceedings against Mah, accusing him of abuse of office.
Mah maintains that the arrest itself was carried out by the Liberia National Police and that his role was limited to labour enforcement.
Allegations of Extortion
Separate allegations have emerged concerning the treatment of business operators in Greenville.
Sources familiar with the situation allege that members of the Labour Commissioner’s team have visited businesses operated by members of the Fula community and demanded payments allegedly outside Liberia’s established labour and work-permit procedures.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Mah categorically denied the claims, saying neither he nor his team has engaged in extortion or intimidation.
He said his office recently dispatched the Deputy Labour Commissioner to collect information from businesses as part of its reporting responsibilities.
According to Mah, the dispute escalated after the County Attorney allegedly ordered the Deputy Labour Commissioner arrested while he was carrying out his official duties.
Mah said he resisted the arrest of his deputy after being informed of it and was subsequently accused by the County Attorney of obstructing justice.
Dispute Over County Attorney’s Intervention
The competing accounts have now become intertwined with a separate confrontation involving the County Attorney, the Labour Commissioner and Superintendent Slewion.
Mah said the County Attorney later went to his office with police officers to arrest him and his deputy.
He said they resisted the attempted arrests and that a confrontation followed.
According to Mah, the Superintendent became involved after being called to intervene, and the situation subsequently escalated.
Slewion offered a different account.
He told FrontPage Africa that Mah complained to him that the County Attorney had gone to his office to arrest him and asked for his intervention.
The Superintendent said he invited Joah to his office because the dispute involved officials from different government institutions and he wanted to mediate.
According to Slewion, Cllr. Joah declined to participate in the proposed intervention.
He said that when he later went to the Labour Commissioner’s office, he asked Cllr. Joah to stop recording and sit down for dialogue.
Slewion said Cllr. Joah refused and accused him of obstructing justice.
He further alleged that he was assaulted during the ensuing confrontation and had to be taken away from the scene.
The Superintendent denied knowledge of claims that Cllr. Joah’s phone was seized or that she was assaulted.
He said he has sought the intervention of Senator Augustine Chea, the Minister of Justice and the Solicitor General over continued misunderstanding between him and the County Attorney but that the dispute remains unresolved.
County Attorney’s Hospitalization
Sources told FrontPage Africa that Joah was later taken to F.J. Grant Hospital following the confrontation.
There are also allegations that a man identified as Cornelius, reportedly associated with the Superintendent, struck the County Attorney during the confrontation.
Those allegations have not been independently established.
Cllr. Joah did not respond to FrontPage Africa’s requests for comment.
FrontPage Africa has gathered that the Ministry of Justice is reviewing aspects of the dispute.
Questions Over Official Conduct
The competing accounts raise broader questions about how labour and other regulatory authorities are exercising enforcement powers in Sinoe County.
Labour inspections, work-permit enforcement and related administrative actions are expected to be carried out under established laws and procedures.
The dispute also raises questions about the boundaries between the Labour Commissioner’s Office, the County Administration, the County Attorney’s Office and law-enforcement authorities when government agencies become involved in the same matter.
The growing controversy has prompted calls for an impartial investigation into the competing allegations.
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